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Florida: door to door sales is an emerging trend of trafficking young people

This is a great and informative article as it shows that U.S Citizens can be exploited in other ways than just the sex industry. Unfortunately no one has taken the time to research Americans in trafficking. Well there has been research but it has all been on American teen girls that are forced into prostitution. Yet there are other things happening than just the teen girls that are forced into prostitution. For example, why has there not been any research done on American boys that are also forced into prostitution?

Did you know that in Florida there are two cases that were successfully prosecuted at the Federal level that involved African-American males? These two cases showed that there men, who were all homeless when recruited, were taken to various farms throughout Florida, enslaved and exploited. Most people picture undocumented migrant workers in the agricultural industry but never in a million years would they picture an American. We know that our homeless population is vulnerable and easily recruited, so how come no one has bothered doing research on this issue either.

This article sheds light on “a new trend in Florida.” I don’t believe this is new, I just think that people are finally seeing it for what it is.

A couple of years ago, three young men in a clean suit knocked on my door. Though bit annoyed as it was a distraction from finishing my homework, their speech certainly warmed my heart. These young men said that they were from inner city schools in Georgia and trying to go to college by collecting donations from the neighborhoods. They also said that I could either contribute some money for them or buy a subscription to a magazine which would help out inner city kids like themselves. But, little did I know then that these three young men might have been forced into door to door sales by their traffickers after being tripped of their identifications as runaways or missing children.

Door to Door Sales; the new growing trends of human trafficking

This morning, one local news report in Palm Beach, Florida, reported that the residents are experiencing the same incidents of children or young people selling magazines subscription. One local advocate says that it is a story that she is very well aware of and familiar with. According to the advocate, if the young people are not selling enough subscriptions, they are subject to punishment like physical abuse or starvation. One female victim, according to the report, was locked into a car for three days because she failed to meet her daily quota. The advocate also said that most of these young men and women are runaways or missing children. What’s more, many of theses victims do not return from the tour. Instead, they are either sold to sex industry or even overseas, according to the advocate.

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The advocate therefore encourages the residents to ask these victims what and where they are about or how long they are going to be in town. Also, the advocate encourages the residents to contact law enforcement or outreach programs.